No. 17 Kansas will begin its season Monday night in Lawrence with a new wave of talent front and center, and the biggest spotlight belongs to 6-foot-8 freshman Tyran Stokes.
The top-ranked recruit in the class has already given the Jayhawks plenty to build on in exhibition play. Stokes put up 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in Sunday’s game against Duke, a 90-84 home loss to a Blue Devils team that will start the season ranked No. 2 in the country. Another Kansas freshman, Taylen Kinney, added 14 points in that one.
Stokes also produced in Kansas’ first exhibition, finishing with 15 points and nine rebounds in an 89-83 loss to Louisville on Oct. 21. Tre White scored 25 points and Melvin Council Jr. added 20 in that game.
Kansas coach Bill Self wasn’t discouraged by either result.
"Nobody is leaving out of here the least bit discouraged," Kansas coach Bill Self said about the pair of exhibition defeats. "I mean, that's a team (Duke) that can win a national championship, and the other team (Louisville) is a team that could go to the Final Four if they shoot the ball and play the way they did."
Self even said he would like another crack at Duke in the spring, when his full roster is available. That would include Purdue transfer Trey Kaufman-Renn, whose arrival has drawn attention because he was granted a sixth year of eligibility after being drafted in the second round by the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves. He did not sign with the team, though the Timberwolves still hold his draft rights.
"If we don't play with them, we're gonna play against them," Self said about the criticism for adding a sixth-year player who was drafted. "All I want to do, within the guidelines of what's been set, (is) how do we get our best team together? That's it."
Kaufman-Renn did not play in either exhibition but is expected to be ready for the opener.
Kansas finished last season 24-11 overall and 12-6 in the Big 12 before reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Fordham comes in after a 17-15 season and an 8-10 mark in the Atlantic 10 under first-year coach Mike Magpayo.
The Rams’ top returning scorer is Rikus Schulte, a forward who averaged 10.7 points and 9.1 rebounds last season. Fordham also got a boost in its own exhibition win, beating Fairfield 79-62 on Saturday behind 20 points from Stephen F.
Austin transfer Lateef Patrick Jr. Schulte added 11 rebounds.
Patrick, who averaged 15.2 points in 34 games last season, is expected to lead the offense after earning first-team All-Southland Conference honors in 2025-26 and being named the league’s Newcomer of the Year.
"They've been such great guys to coach so far and that gives me a lot of optimism all the way through the season," Magpayo said. "Just stay coachable. Can we continue to grow all the way through November, December, March?"
Magpayo’s track record at UC Riverside included steady progress, with the Highlanders going from 14 wins in his first season to 16 in his second and 22 in his third. He left after a 21-win season in 2024-25.
In Other News...
Kansas State Now Faces A Big 12 Future Without Brett Yormark
Brett Yormarks decision to step away as Big 12 commissioner eventually closes a significant chapter for a league that has spent the last few years in constant motion. Since taking over in August 2022, Yormark helped steer the conference through a major media-rights overhaul, oversaw its expansion to 16 teams and locked in tournament extensions and sponsorships that gave the league a more stable footing in a turbulent era.
For Kansas, the timing adds another layer to a future that already feels more unsettled than it used to. Yormark will remain in the post through January 2027, which gives the Big 12 a runway to sort out what comes next, but his exit still marks the end of a transformational stretch that reshaped the leagues identity and competitive landscape. The conferences leadership was quick to thank him for it, a sign of how much ground was covered during his tenure and how much still remains to be defined. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Suddenly Has A Quarterback Concern Heading Into TCU
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Cole Ballard and Chase Jenkins are the next options if Marshall cannot go, which adds a layer of urgency to a matchup Kansas had likely hoped to approach with more stability. For a team trying to keep its rhythm intact, the change in Marshalls outlook is the kind of late-week development that can alter a game plan quickly, and it leaves one of the biggest questions of the week hanging until kickoff nears. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Faces A Telling Test In A Matchup That Looks Even
Saturdays trip to Amon G. Carter Stadium brings Kansas into a game that looks remarkably even on paper, at least in the standings. Both the Jayhawks and TCU are sitting at 3-4 overall and 1-3 in Big 12 play, which makes this meeting more than just another midseason conference date. It also offers a useful measuring stick for Kansas after a stretch in which small details have separated good possessions from wasted ones.
The contrast between the two teams recent games against Baylor helps frame why this one feels so open-ended. TCU has leaned on explosive passing plays and stout run defense, while Kansas has shown a more balanced approach with an emphasis on the ground game. The edge may come down to the usual league swing factors, including third-down efficiency, red-zone defense, turnovers, sacks, field position and penalties, all the little pieces that tend to decide these matchups before the final whistle does. [Read more 🡒]